Thill-coupling



(No Model.)

'0.- W. LEVA-LLEY.

ThillCoupling. No. 240,431. 1 Patented April 19,1881.

QWMYMM' UNITED STATES CHRISTOPHER W. LEVALLEY, OF ST. PAUL, MINNESOTA.

PATENT OFFICE.

THlLL-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 240,431, dated April 19, 1881.

Application filed February 21, 1881. (N0 model.)

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, CHRISTOPHER W. LE- VALLEY, citizen of the United States, residing at St. Paul, in the county of Ramsey and State of Minnesota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Thill-Oouplings and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of theinvention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to letters or figures of reference marked thereon,which form a part of this specification.

Figure 1 is a vertical section of an axle and of my improved thill-coupling attached thereto. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the latter.

In the drawings, A represents the axle of an ordinary vehicle.

B is the shank of the coupling, situated beneath the axle and clamped thereto by clips or straps O and nuts 0. At the forward end of the shank B there is a socket, preferably cast integral therewith. The socket has a front wall, 0, and a rear wall, D, and divided side walls, E F. The front wall is made thicker than the rear, that it may safely resist the strain of the draft. The side walls, E F, are divided, or partially divided, by slots e and f, and are provided with circular apertures at the lower ends of the slots.

G represents the shaft or thill bolted to the shank H of the coupling. Said shank is formed with or attached to a stirrup or yoke having the legs I and I.

K is the coupling-bar connecting the ends of the legs I and I. These legs of the coupling are thinner than the bar K, so that when in a certain position they can pass through the slots 6 and f. \Vhen the thills are to be coupled to the vehicle they are elevated to the position shown in dotted lines, the bar K being horizontally opposite to the apertures in the side walls, E and F. The stirrup-legsI I are moved laterally through the slots e and f until the socket lies between them, whereupon the thills can be lowered. No additional locking devices are required.

L is a block or cushion, of rubber, seated in the coupling-socket behind the bar K, and adapted to prevent jarring and rattling. M is a block of hard substance, preferably metal, seated in the coupling-socket in front of the bar K. It can be forced tightly against the bar by means of a set-screw, N, and assists the cushion L in preventing the bar from jarring.

I am aware that thill-couplings have been heretofore made in such manner that the thills had to be turned into an unusual position for coupling or uncoupling; but in none of the couplings with which I am acquainted has use been made of a socket of the character shownthat is to say, a hollow socket having bearings in the side walls and arranged, as described, to receive adjustable devices for preventing the wearing of said bearings, the socket being detachable from the axle-clip.

What I claim is 1. In a thill-couplin g, the combination, with the stirrup I I and the bar K, of the socket having the heavier forward wall, 0, the rearwall, D, the side walls, E F, provided with slots and circular apertures, the cushion L, the grooved block M, and setscrew N, substantially as set forth.

2. In a thill-ooupling, the combination, with the stirrup I I and bar K, of the socket O D E F, the grooved block M, and set-screw N, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

CHRISTOPHER W. LEVALLEY.

Witnesses:

J. H. RANDALL, N. P. B. HATCH. 

